Recently, with the miniaturization of electronic products, it has been required that connectors be not only reduced in size, but also increased in the number of contacts. For example, in the case of an LGA (Land Grid Array) connection device, the number of terminals or contacts of a connector sometimes exceeds 5,000. Therefore, in that case, it is desirable that the pitch of the contacts of the connector be narrowed for achieving a reduction in size thereof.
In response to those requirements, various techniques have been developed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2006-310140 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 1”) discloses a connector comprising an elastic body formed with protruding portions, a film provided on the elastic body so as to cover the protruding portions, and conductor portions disposed on the film at positions corresponding to the protruding portions. This connector can be used for connecting a connection object having an electronic device such as an LSI to a printed wiring board or the like.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2002-158056 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 2”) discloses an electrical contact member formed with three metal plating layers on the surface of a rigid electrical contact member having springiness. These plating layers include a first plating layer being a composite plating layer containing hard particles, a second plating layer in the form of metal plating of the same kind as composite plating of the first plating layer, formed on the first plating layer and containing no particles, and a third plating layer in the form of metal plating as finishing plating, formed on the second plating layer. This electrical contact member can also be used for connecting a connection object having an electronic device such as an LSI to a printed wiring board or the like.